SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 15, 2000

                              LJL BIOSYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    000-23647
                            (Commission File Number)

   DELAWARE                                  77-0360183
   (State or other jurisdiction of           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
    incorporation)

                                405 TASMAN DRIVE
                               SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
             (Address of principal executive offices, with zip code)

                                 (408) 541-8787
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)





ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         On February 15, 2000, LJL BioSystems, Inc. announced that Richard
Eglen, Ph.D. joined LJL BioSystems as Senior Vice President, Assay
Technologies. Further details regarding this announcement are contained in
the company's news release dated February 15, 2000 attached as an exhibit
hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

         (a)      Exhibits:

                  99.12 LJL BioSystems, Inc. News Release dated February 15,
                  2000


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                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                             LJL BIOSYSTEMS, INC.

Date: February 16, 2000                      By: /s/  Lev J. Leytes
                                                ------------------------
                                                 Lev J. Leytes
                                                 President and CEO



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